Thursday, August 1, 2013

For our blog readers that follow Cathie's "Sincerely Vintage" column in the collector, here is her article from our August issue.

SINCERELY VINTAGE

by Cathie Cox

On the prowl for retro in Utah?

Here are five of your best bets:

Decades, 627 S State St,
Salt Lake City, 801-537-1357, Mon-Sat 11-6; Sun 12-5. Love vintage clothing?Then you should run to Decades, where the
inventory is endless with plenty of retro in the mix, and the prices are
incredibly reasonable.Owner Justin
Ferguson, who has been collecting vintage clothing since he was very young and
has experience in theater costuming, says the prices “make it fun if you come.
. . and then leave with something.”An
example – most cowboy boots are in the $24-35 range.Out-of-state customers will fill bag after
bag – to take home for resale.As for
selection – let’s just say you’ll be impressed.Mens’ and womens’, all sizes.Dresses, tops, bottoms, shoes & boots, handbags, coats, furs, hats,
ties, jewelry, even a suitcase full of suspenders!Ferguson
says the quality with older pieces is amazing, making it a considerable value, plus
you won’t see anybody else in your outfit.Got a thing for retro clothing? Decades is your store. . . .

Mini’s
Cupcakes, 14 E 800 S, Salt Lake City, 801-363-0608, Mon 10-5:30; Tues-Fri
8-5:30; Sat 10-5 and 1751 S 1100 E, Sugarhouse, 801-746-2208, Mon-Sat
10-6:30.In the mood for a snack after
some serious retro shopping?Then stop
in at Mini’s where authentic retro is as plentiful as cream cheese
frosting.Owner Leslie Fiet has retro in
her blood.She begged her grandma to
give her the retro lamp in the basement – at age 11.80% of her clothes are vintage.In her shops you’ll enjoy your food on a 50s
Formica and chrome table with vinyl chairs, or maybe you’ll curl up on a
vintage sofa next to one of those retro lamps.Mini’s is based on what Fiet remembers as “a better time.”“My grandma baked everything from
scratch.The way we bake is from the way
Grandma would have done it,” she says.So “come in and sit on Grandma’s couch and eat a cupcake.”They also have incredible box lunches.BTW, my favorite cupcake is “The Diva” – dark
Belgium
chocolate with pink crème cheese frosting.

Now
and Again, 501 E. 300 S. Salt Lake City,
801-364-0664, Mon-Fri 10-6; Sat 11-6.Ask
Now and Again owner Michael Sanders to define “retro” and you better be
prepared to stay a while.After all, he has
carved a niche in Utah
– defining the term via his shop, which is perfectly stuffed with “an eclectic
mix of retro, vintage and mid-century modern. . . .”Those retro lamps you eat by at Mini’s – buy
them at Now and Again.Looking for one
of those sofas?Ditto.Just about anything you could want for your
retro home you’ll find here.Sanders has
designed his store based on his definition of retro: “items from the recent
past – whimsical – vibrant colors – forced organic shapes – over the top.Think orange lamps, kidney tables, turquoise
fabric.”Welcome, Utah, to Now and Again.

Retro
Betty, 2821 S 2300 E, Salt Lake
City, 801-467-2222, Mon-Sat 11-7.One step over the threshold into Retro Betty
and you’ll know you’ve come to a “happy place”. . . and one conversation with
owner Amanda Parrish will confirm that.Named after Mad Men character Betty Draper, this small yet incredibly
charming shop houses colorful 60s-style home décor, upcycled furniture and
amazing retro clothing that’s displayed professionally
and priced so you can get a bag-full without draining your wallet.Parrish says she got her love of vintage from
her mom, who took her to flea markets in the South when she was a child.Retro Betty celebrates its one-year
anniversary in September.

Retro
Rose,
207 E Broadway (300 S), Salt Lake City,
801-364-7979, Mon-Sat 11-6.“As long as
you have one beautiful thing in each room, you’ll always have a conversation
piece,” declares Marci Rasmussen, owner of Retro Rose and the sole buyer for
the store – which happens to be overloaded with “conversation pieces.”It’s like a candy store for retro
enthusiasts, and I promise you won’t be able to stop buying at just one piece.Artfully decorated by color with “out of the
ordinary” retro-abilia, Ramussen says her emphasis when purchasing merchandise
is on color, quality, and usability.Retro
Rose has been in business for 12 years, and you won’t come away disappointed if
you truly love retro.

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About Me

I've spent 25 years in the antiques business, as a shop owner, show dealer and collector. I currently own & publish the New Century Collector, "the" source for information about the Utah antiques scene.